第46部分(第3/7 頁)

nk；　if　not　to　thy　corn。　Co'　up　lass；　let's　get　off　ter　th'

old　homestead。　Oh；　my　heart；　what　a　wetness　in　the　night！

There'll　be　no　volcanoes　after　this。　Hey；　Jack；　my　beautiful

young　slender　feller；　which　of　us　is　Noah？　It　seems　as　though

the　water…works　is　bursted。　Ducks　and　ayquatic　fowl　'll　be　king

o'　the　castle　at　this　rate……dove　an'　olive　branch　an'　all。

Stand　up　then；　gel；　stand　up；　we're　not　stoppin'　here　all　night；

even　if　you　thought　we　was。　I'm　dashed　if　the　jumping　rain

wouldn't　make　anybody　think　they　was　drunk。　Hey；　Jack……does

rain…water　wash　the　sense　in；　or　does　it　wash　it　out？〃　And　he

laughed　to　himself　at　the　joke。

He　was　always　ashamed　when　he　had　to　drive　after　he　had　been

drinking；　always　apologetic　to　the　horse。　His　apologetic　frame

made　him　facetious。　He　was　aware　of　his　inability　to　walk　quite

straight。　Nevertheless　his　will　kept　stiff　and　attentive；　in　all

his　fuddleness。

He　mounted　and　bowled　off　through　the　gates　of　the　innyard。

The　mare　went　well；　he　sat　fixed；　the　rain　beating　on　his　face。

His　heavy　body　rode　motionless　in　a　kind　of　sleep；　one　centre　of

attention　was　kept　fitfully　burning；　the　rest　was　dark。　He

concentrated　his　last　attention　on　the　fact　of　driving　along　the

road　he　knew　so　well。　He　knew　it　so　well；　he　watched　for　it

attentively；　with　an　effort　of　will。

He　talked　aloud　to　himself；　sententious　in　his　anxiety；　as　if

he　were　perfectly　sober；　whilst　the　mare　bowled　along　and　the

rain　beat　on　him。　He　watched　the　rain　before　the　gig…lamps；　the

faint　gleaming　of　the　shadowy　horse's　body；　the　passing　of　the

dark　hedges。

〃It's　not　a　fit　nigh